STARTALK Fall Conference 2016 1 · 1. Advise ADNI/HC on IC FL capabilities required to enhance mission success 2. Direct FLPO 3. Chair the IC Foreign Language Executive Committee

STARTALK Fall Conference 2016 1

Welcome back


Government Welcome

Don GentileChief, Foreign Language Program Office (FLPO), Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Chief, Human Capital Office (CHCO)

Joseph PilkusEducation and Training Officer, Foreign Language Program Office (FLPO), Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Chief, Human Capital Office (CHCO)

Dr. Len ReinsfelderCommandant, National Cryptologic School (NCS), National Security Agency (NSA)


UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

STARTALK FALL CONFERENCE

Foreign Language Program Office (FLPO)

14 October 2016

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

ASSISTANT DNI FOR HUMAN CAPITAL

UNCLASSIFIED

Why do we need foreign language capability?

5

Prevalence of Foreign Language

7.4 billion people

on Earth

7.4 B

Speaking more than

7,100 languages

7,100

<11%speak English

11%

• The IC foreign language (FL) workforce is critical to the production of finished intelligence

• Foreign language, regional, and cultural expertise required to understand 89% of the world population

• HLT is required to extract intelligence from the overwhelming variety, volume, and velocity of FL data

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

ASSISTANT DNI FOR HUMAN CAPITAL

UNCLASSIFIED

Why does FLPO exist?

• FLPO Mission: To ensure the IC has the foreign language skills, cultural

expertise, and language technology to meet national security objectives.

• ICD 630 directs the IC Senior Language Authority to:

1. Advise ADNI/HC on IC FL capabilities required to enhance mission success

2. Direct FLPO

3. Chair the IC Foreign Language Executive Committee (FLEXCOM)

4. Identify opportunities for the integration of education, training, and human

language technologies in the development of IC FL capabilities

5. Serve as the senior IC representative for FL capabilities to USG fora

6

Foreign Language Capability = Talent + Technology

STARTALK: A Stellar Past

a Brighter Future

Betsy HartProgram Director, STARTALK

Director of Programs, NFLC

Diane VarieurGovernment STARTALK Program Manager, National

Cryptologic School (NCS), National Security Agency

(NSA)


A Stellar Past: Sources of Evidence

• Program Director Impact Survey (2015)

• Participant Surveys

• Stakeholder Surveys

• Site Visit Reports

• Final Reports


STARTALK: The Vision

Student learning: establish student interest that generates demand for school year programs

Teacher development: ensure adequate supply of effective teachers to meet increased demand

Materials development: build lasting infrastructure to support these languages should government funding disappear


Student Stories Video


https://youtu.be/gq3T3mcEEhQ

https://youtu.be/gq3T3mcEEhQ

Program Data:

2007-2016 Number of Participants

Students: 50,902

Teachers: 11,447

Total: 62,349


Participant Data: Student ProgramEvaluation of Programs


93%

96%

96%

97%

97%

Good language teaching

Culturally authentic materials

Learned a lot about cultures

Many opportunities to buildlanguage through conversation

Target language was used almostalways

Participant Data: Student ProgramPlans to Further Study the Language


749718

626 624

329296

258

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Onlineresources

Books Travel orstudy abroad

Enrolled inacademicinstitution

Heritagecommunity,or religious

school

Will enroll inacademicinstitution

Privatelessons

Participant Data: Student Program


690627 606 559

496434

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Internationalbusiness

Translation Internationalrelations

Foreignservice

Teaching aworld

language

Nationalsecurity

Career Plans

Participant Data: Teacher Program

More than 98% of respondents agree with the following

statements:

• The program allowed me to acquire new knowledge and

skills.

• The instructors were good resources for information

about the methods of implementing the STARTALK

principles.

• My instructor helped me become a more knowledgeable

and skilled language teacher.


Participant Data: Teacher Program


Most conservative estimate: 26,771 students will be taught by this year’s STARTALK teacher participants in the next 12 months!

Of those who plan to teach a STARTALK language in the next year:• 63% will teach more than 25 students• 40% will teach more than 50 students• 16.5% will teach more than 100 students

STARTALK Impact 2015:New Programs Attributed to STARTALK Influence


26 school-based and university programs in STARTALK languages

24 after-school, community, heritage, and online programs in STARTALK languages

Survey of STARTALK Impact

on World Language Programs

200+ schools and university departments

Questions about

• Program origins

• Teachers

• Students

• Classroom instruction

• Program evolution and lessons learned


Successes: Teacher Programs

• More coaching and reflection opportunities

integrated into daily schedules

• Increased opportunities for microteaching

• Better balance of theory and practice

• Increased modeling of STARTALK principles

• More programs with a focus on leadership

training


Challenges: Teacher Programs

• Applicants

• Screening to ensure necessary prerequisites

• No shows and drop outs

• Online segments of the program

• Connection to learning targets

• Technical knowledge and skills

• Differentiation

• Levels of experience, knowledge, and skills

• Technology resources

• Integrating technology into instruction


Successes: Student Programs

• Target languages used at least 90% of the time

• Increased use of verbal and non-verbal strategies to make language comprehensible

• More interesting and age-appropriate themes

• Increased connections among themes, learning targets and learning episodes

• Better and more technology incorporated into programs

• Increased collaboration among program staff


Challenges: Student Programs

• STARTALK professional development opportunities for instructors

• Learner-centered classrooms

• Opportunities for learning in three modes

• Opportunities for unrehearsed communication

• Differentiation: proficiency and age levels

• Applicants: screening and student placement

• Applicants: no-shows and drop outs


Components of Success

Team work

Planning

Practice

Coaching

Reflection

Community


More Data

https://startalk.umd.edu/public/hart_2016impact.pdf


https://startalk.umd.edu/public/hart_2016impact.pdf

STARTALK 2017 Focus

• Expedited timeline

• Summer programs

• Review and package existing resources

• Infrastructure grants

• World language support grants


What stakeholder surveys tell us about

STARTALKSTARTALK 2016

Jing Wei

Outline

SOPHIE

Application procedures

Online curriculum template

Professional development

Resources

Logistics and Recruiting

Instructor backgrounds

Conclusions

27

Program Director: SOPHIE

Strongly

Agree &

Agree

Strongly

Disagree &

Disagree

STARTALK Online Programs, Help,

Information, and Events (SOPHIE) was easy

to use. (N=109)

83% 16%

STARTALK Online Programs, Help,

Information, and Events (SOPHIE) helped me

manage my STARTALK program. (N=107)

83% 13%

28

Program Director: Application Procedures

Strongly

Agree &

Agree

Strongly

Disagree &

Disagree

The STARTALK program application procedures

were clear. (N=111)

98% 2%

The STARTALK program application helped me

think about how to structure the program.

(N=109)95% 5%

The STARTALK program application helped me

complete the curriculum template. (N=110)90% 10%

The alignment among the application, curriculum

template, site visit report and final report helped

develop a program consistent with stated

program goals. (N=109)

95% 5%

Program Director: Online Curriculum Template

Strongly

Agree &

Agree

Strongly

Disagree &

Disagree

The online curriculum template was valuable in

developing and refining our program plan.

(N=109)

93% 7%

The online approach to developing the

curriculum template facilitated planning for

learning. (N=109)

88% 12%

The Learning Plan templates were helpful in

developing lessons to support learning targets.

(N=104)*

90% 10%

* N/As removed

30

Professional Development: Topics Needed

Program Directors1. Differentiated instruction

2. Student-centered instruction

3. Classroom management

4. Target language instruction

5. Assessment

Instructors in Student

Programs1. Technology

2. Target language instruction

3. Assessment

4. Designing activities /

sample activities

5. Differentiated instruction

Team Leaders1. Assessment


3. Student-centered instruction

4. Checking for learning

5. Authentic materials

Instructors in Teacher

Programs1. Technology

2. Teaching methods

3. Classroom management

4. Assessment


• Assessment

• Differentiated

instruction

Resources Found Most Useful

Resources Responses

STARTALK Classroom

Video Collection58%

Model Student Curricula41%

Professional Learning

Resources to Support

STARTALK-endorsed

Principles (UPDATED)

39%

Checking for Learning37%

Classroom Language

Observation Checklist Kit

(CLOCK)

31%

Program Directors

Resources Responses

Model Student Curricula65%

Checking for Learning58%

STARTALK Classroom Video

Collection 46%

TeacherFolio for Learning

Plans and Microteaching

(UPDATED)

42%

Classroom Language

Observation Checklist Kit

(CLOCK)

35%

Professional Learning

Resources to Support

STARTALK-endorsed

Principles (UPDATED)

35%

Team Leaders

32

Program Director: Logistics and Recruiting

Strongly

Agree &

Agree

Strongly

Disagree &

Disagree

I did not encounter difficulties recruiting

participants. (N=110)

79% 21%

I did not encounter difficulties organizing

program logistics. (N=108)90% 10%

33

Instructor backgrounds

Over 40% of instructors in student programs are new to STARTALK programs.

Most teachers have extensive experience in language teaching and learning, but

STARTALK is the first language teaching experience for a considerable number of teachers

34

Conclusions

SOPHIE: successful with a few glitchesSuggestions for improvement received

Application proceduresAlignment helped to improve programs and curriculum process

Online curriculum templateOverall favorable for first year, some room for improvement

ResourcesClassroom Videos are a favorite

Some newer resources are underutilized

Logistics and RecruitingChallenges with recruiting

Instructors− Range of experience

− Targeted areas for professional development 35

Government Thoughts

Mark WolkowChief, Academic Outreach, Engagement and Policy

Directorate, National Security Agency (NSA)


STARTALK @ 10!

Nicole RumeauSenior Project Manager, National Foreign Language

Center


• Ten years of excellence

• Congratulations!

• Tenth anniversary conference features

• https://startalk.umd.edu/conferences

• #Stellar10


https://startalk.umd.edu/conferences

A Special Message From

Laura Murray



Documents

STARTALK Fall Conference 2016 1 · 1. Advise ADNI/HC on IC FL capabilities required to enhance mission success 2. Direct FLPO 3. Chair the IC Foreign Language Executive Committee